Session 4: Interactive whiteboard and Phonics

An interactive whiteboard has many benefits and usefulness as stated in my previous blog posts; but today’s seminar introduced a new an easy concept that can be used into a specific area of teaching. 

We were taught how we can use Smart Notebook to assist a phonics lessons; by adding sounds, creating a magic box, allowing children to make words, and learn some CVC words. 

Adding sounds

Adding sounds to an object is quick and simple, and can be incredibly useful for children when teaching phonics; as children can participate in a game-like activity and be able to hear the words, the sounds, in order to enhance their understanding.

Right-click to add sound

Using Smart Notebook you can also make recordings, so this is a great tool for teaching phonics. When I teach phonics I would use the recording tool on Smart Notebook and record the children sounding out the words and blending the words, this can be used as evidence to show good blending and segmenting.

My activity with recordings

I would use nursery rhymes and record the children singing to it; for this activity I would aim to ensure that the children blend and segment their words, in a fun and interactive way. Nursery rhymes are great ways of introducing children to words, so for example there are many CVC and CVCC words in Humpty Dumpty, like sat, fall, wall, men etc.

‘Magic Box’

My 'Magic Box'

The idea of this ‘Magic Box’ is to put everything that begins with the letter ‘b’ in the box, and anything that does not begin with ‘b’ outside the box. This is another excellent tool, as the visual aids can give children a clue and acknowledge the objects beginning with'b' and not. Again, it is an easy tool to create and involves how you place the 'order' of the object; i.e. all objects 'Sent to Back' that beginning with 'b' and all objects 'Bring to Front' which do not begin with the letter 'b'.

The completed activity

Infinite Cloning

My take on using 'infinite cloning'

Another great tool that can be used to help children with phonics, is to have a few letters so that children can make CVC or CVCC words. Smart Notebook allows ‘infinite cloning’ so that children can use each letters as many times as they want.

Word Boxes

My 'word box'

A further  tool for children to practice CVC words is to create ‘word boxes’. This is an excellent and easy tool, which children can learn CVC words and also be able to understand the endings of the words; i.e. 'an' and 'et'

Then, children can drag the beginnings to reveal the CVC words

The finished 'word box'

Using Smart Notebook, I created a resource which will help children with phonics. The idea of the resource is to help children distinguish the difference between words beginning with ‘c’ and words beginning with ‘s’. I also added sounds to each picture of my resource to assist children in this activity.

My 'c' and 's' resource

I would use Smart Notebook for a phonics lesson, as 'children will quite happily and confidently engage in tasks on the whiteboard' (Barber, Cooper, Meeson, 2007, p.37 ), and 'they can support even the best teaching in a number of ways' (Barber, Cooper, Meeson, 2007, p.41)


Hope you enjoyed reading! Keep tuned for next week!

Reference List:

Barber D. and Cooper L. and Meeson G, (2007) Learning and Teaching with Interactive Whiteboards: Primary and Early Years, Exeter: Learning Matters